Deep Linking Changes Book Marketing Forever

The above quote from an essay by Robert Louis Stevenson has a Deep Link, probably something you have not seen before. As far as I know, this is only the second time a Deep Link has been used in a blog post. The first time was this past week in a post to CSO Online. Note how the Deep Link takes you directly to the quote inside a book of essays by RLS.

After you have followed the Deep Link, take a moment to explore the publishing platform that has introduced this innovation. Buk.io lets any publisher upload an ebook and make it available either in a browser or a mobile app. It is the brain child of my friend Minus Kang who has jump started the content by uploading 48,000+ Gutenberg Books and even a Wikipedia integration. As you are reading a book, you can highlight a quote and immediately share it to social media.

Anyone who clicks on the shared quote is taken directly to the underlined passage in the book.

Actually that is another RLS quote but from the first chapter of one of my books.

Why does this change book marketing forever? If you are an author or publisher you have probably already seen the possibilities that Deep Linking enables. Authors and fans can Tweet and post enticing segments of books. Their followers are led to the interior of the book where they see the quote in full context. At last; a way to get readers to crack open books! Until now it was the book cover that had that power; or maybe a "Must Read!" recommendation from someone people trusted.

The first time I Tweeted a Buk.io Deep Link, 180 people followed the link. When Minsu launched a "Purchase Now" button I Tweeted once and someone bought There Will Be Cyberwar.

Imagine a book review with Deep Linking. Imagine a scholarly article that Deep Links instead of providing an MLS citation with page number. Can you see why this is revolutionary? Can you see why I so readily agreed to sign up as an advisor to Buk.io?

Go ahead and start using Buk.io for your own publications. This is very early days for the Deep Linking revolution.